After receiving the combat mission to support the ground forces, the happiest was Roskova, whose troops had been hidden from the snow since the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, and even the Battle of Kursk in July, they had no chance to participate in the battle, and the 588th Night Bomber Regiment of Persian Anskaya had more or less caught several night bombing missions.

As soon as Roslava returned to the regimental headquarters, she immediately instructed the chief of staff: "Chief of staff, call the commanders of all squadrons to me." ”

"Comrade Major," Catherina asked as soon as she entered the door with Roslava on her face full of joy and curiosity, "is there something wrong?" ”

"The superiors have assigned us combat tasks, and we can go into battle by tomorrow afternoon at the latest." Roslava urged: "Okay, stop being verbose, hurry up and call the squadron leaders." ”

Not long after, all three squadron leaders came to the regimental headquarters. After raising his hand and saluting Roslava, he asked curiously: "Major, I don't know if you have brought us here, is there anything important?" ”

"I just went to the headquarters of the army group and received a combat mission." Roslava looked at the three female squadron leaders standing in front of her, and said with a happy face: "The higher authorities ordered our regiment to support friendly forces fighting in the Gomel region. ”

Hearing Rosciva say this, the three squadron leaders couldn't help but light up and asked in surprise: "Comrade Major, did the superiors send us the parts for the aircraft we need?" ”

The leader of the first squadron chattered and said: "In addition to the damage of a lot of parts in our planes during the usual battles and patrols, more importantly, the rat infestation at the beginning of the year, damn rats have bitten a lot of lines, and our planes cannot take off at all." ”

Roslava knew the character of the leader of the first squadron, and was afraid that she would not finish talking about it, so she hurriedly raised her hand to stop her. "We don't get any reinforcements, no new planes, not even spare parts," he said to the three. We can only dismantle some of the planes that cannot be repaired, and use the parts on them to repair those planes that are still operating. ”

Before the arrival of the three squadron leaders, Roslava and Katherinanova had already studied the specifics of the aircraft. At this moment she raised her chin at Catherina and motioned for her to announce the decision to the squadron leaders.

Katherynova nodded, picked up a list on the table, and began to read: "The first squadron should dismantle five aircraft, and the specific model is ... Two squadrons of three ... Three squadrons of seven ...

When they heard that the chief of staff was talking about the planes to be dismantled, the faces of the squadron leaders were not good-looking, and one more plane to dismantle meant that there would be one less plane to participate in the war. After the chief of staff finished reading the list, the leader of the third squadron was a little anxious: "Chief of staff, why is there so many planes to be dismantled by our squadron, and they are almost catching up with the total number of the other two squadrons?" You know, our squadron fought the hardest in the battle for the liberation of Stalingrad. ”

"I know you've fought the hardest." Roslava said lightly: "Due to the fact that it was not replenished in time, the aircraft of your third squadron are in the worst condition. It is precisely because of this that more aircraft need to be dismantled to meet the needs of combat aircraft. Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Major." The leader of the third squadron replied with a crying voice: "I'll go back and arrange for the dismantling of the plane." ”

…………

Rokossovsky knew that Rudenko was ready to put two women's flying regiments into battle, but due to the lack of spare parts for the aircraft, the number of aircraft that could really take to the air for combat was small. In order to solve this problem as soon as possible, he did not put pressure on the head of logistics, Andypinkko, but called the head of logistics, Khrulev, who was far away in Moscow.

When Khrulev heard from his secretary that there was a call from the front to find him, he paused for a moment, because this had never happened before. After he asked the secretary to take the phone in, he said politely: "I am Khrulev, I wonder who I am having the honor of talking to?" ”

"Hello, Comrade Khrulev." Rokossovsky said politely: "I am Rokossovsky, the commander of the Central Front, and I have urgent business to find you now." ”

Hearing that it was Rokossovsky who made the call, Khrulev immediately remembered that Ustinov had mentioned to him some time ago that Rokossovsky wanted to equip the troops with a new type of assault rifle in advance, but the current military production capacity could not meet his excessive request for the time being.

Remembering this, Khrulev could not wait to say into the microphone: "Hello, Comrade Rokossovsky, it is a pleasure to hear your voice. I'm sorry though, but I can't agree to your request, at least not for now. ”

Rokossovsky was confused by Khrulev's words, and he asked puzzledly: "Comrade Khrulev, what are you talking about?" Why can't I understand at all? ”

"Didn't you call me and ask about the new assault rifle?" Khrulev was also confused by Rokossovsky's answer, and he asked puzzledly: "You must know that Comrade Ustinov said that you have repeatedly insisted that this newly developed assault rifle be immediately equipped with troops. I'm sorry, Comrade Rokossovsky, if you really came to me for this matter, I can only say sorry to you. You must know that the bullet used in the new rifle is a new type of intermediate power bullet, and we do not have the ability to open a production line for the time being. Do you know what the number of bullets consumed by our troops in the battles of last year and this year? ”

Rokossovsky originally wanted to explain to Khrulev that he was calling, not for the assault rifle, but when he heard the last question he asked, he couldn't help but ask curiously: "How many bullets are consumed?" ”

"Six billion," Khrulev said excitedly: "Comrade Rokossovsky, did you hear that?" Our army, during these two years of fighting, due to the massive use of submachine guns and machine guns, consumed a staggering six billion. Six billion rounds, do you understand? ”

"I really didn't expect that it would consume so much." Rokossovsky was taken aback by the data that Khrulev said, he never dreamed that the Soviet army could consume so many bullets in battle, and it seems that the saying that fighting a war is a gun is really true. Without the strong assistance of the United States, it is estimated that the economy of the Soviet army would have been dragged down by the war long ago. However, he was worried that Khrulev would hang up the phone at any time, so he hurriedly preemptively said: "But I called you today, not for an assault rifle, but for something else." ”

"Something else, what?" Knowing that Rokossovsky was not for the assault rifle, and Khrulev's attitude was much better, he asked with concern: "Can you tell me, what is the matter?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Minister of Logistics." Rokossovsky said politely: "I have two women's flying regiments in my unit, you should know about this, right?" ”

"Yes, of course I do." Khrulev nodded and said: "They are all equipped with bombers imported from Britain, and I signed and agreed to this matter at the beginning. ”

"Comrade Minister of Logistics," seeing that Khrulev knew about this, Rokossovsky saved his words of explanation and continued: "They have not participated in the battle since the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, and even in the Battle of Kursk in July and August, they could only watch. ”

"Looking? What does this mean, Comrade Rokossovsky. Confused, Khrulev asked: "Why didn't they go into battle?" ”

"Of course they want to participate in the battle," Rokossovsky continued with a wry smile, "but their planes were badly damaged in the early battles and could not be replenished with spare parts at all, so they could not participate in the battle at all." ”

"What, there are no spare parts for the planes of the women's flight regiment?" Khrulev was surprised to hear Rokossovsky say this, and he asked with some puzzlement: "But according to my information, the aircraft parts they need are all distributed on time." ”

"But what I've heard is that they haven't received a single part for eight months, from February to now." Although Rokossovsky realized that something might be wrong in the middle, he struck while the iron was hot: "At the moment my troops are engaged in a fierce battle with the Germans and need air support. However, such an elite unit as the women's flying regiment could not take the plane into the sky because there was no necessary replacement of parts, and it could only watch other comrades-in-arms fight the enemy in the blue sky, and they could not do anything about it. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Rokossovsky." As soon as Khrulev waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, he immediately expressed his attitude to him: "I will immediately investigate the matter and see what went wrong." I assure you that in a week at most, all the spare parts needed for the women's flight team will be replenished. ”

"In that case, Comrade Minister of Logistics," Rokossovsky said with satisfaction, seeing that his goal had been achieved: "'I thank you!'" ”

…………

For eight months, the female pilots of the women's flight regiment could only stay on the ground, watching the male pilots fight with enemy fighters and compete for air supremacy on the battlefield. Or to bomb the German defensive positions and cover the offensive of the ground forces. Now that they heard that they could meet again in the blue sky, the girls were overjoyed, and everyone cheered and rushed into the tarmac, took the tools and began to disassemble the designated aircraft, and carefully installed the removed parts on the combat aircraft.

Rudenko originally ordered the women's flying regiment to participate in the battle in the afternoon, but the three squadrons put together 20 planes that could be lifted into the air in the morning. Roskova did not want to wait any longer, so she took the initiative to call Rudenko and reported to him: "Comrade commander, the 587th Dive Bomber Regiment is ready for battle. ”

Rudenko was also a little surprised to see that the women's flying regiment was moving so quickly, and after waiting for Roskova to finish speaking, he asked rhetorically: "How many planes can you put into battle?" ”

"Twenty, Comrade Commander." Roskova was afraid that Rudenko would think that the women's flying regiment could not be of great use, and she specially emphasized: "I will personally lead the team to attack!" ”

"No," who knew that when Rudenko heard her say this, he immediately said in a stern tone: "You are the regimental commander, and you are not allowed to take to the air to fight without my order." At this point, he paused for a moment to consider whether it was time to adjust the time for the women's flying group to enter the battle.

"All right, Comrade Major," he said, after a while, "since your girls are ready, go into battle at once, and good luck to you!" ”

Rosciva put down the phone, immediately ran to the side of the runway, and said to Katherinanova, who was already standing there: "Chief of Staff, Comrade Commander has already agreed that we will take off early. You immediately signal the girls to get them ready for liftoff. With that, she turned around and was about to leave.

Behind her, Kathelenova asked aloud: "Major, where are you going?" ”

"Needless to say," Roskova said lightly, "our girls haven't been in the air for more than half a year, and I'm worried that they will be a little uncomfortable, so this time I will personally lead the team." ”

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, Catherina took her hand and said: "No, major, you are the commander of the flying regiment, you can't take risks easily, I will personally lead the attack this time!" ”

Roskova glared at her eyes and said dissatisfiedly: "Chief of Staff, don't you know that the orders of your superiors have no room for bargaining and can only obey?" You stay in command, I'll take the girls to support the infantry, this is an order, carry it out! ”

"Yes!" Hearing what Roslava said, Katherinova reluctantly agreed, and watched Roslava walk towards a plane not far away. She raised the signal flag in her hand and signaled the take-off to the bomber parked on the runway.

The planes of the women's flight regiment were equipped with radio communications, and after all the planes had been lifted into the air, Roskova gave the order to the female pilots through the intercom: "All of them, follow my orders, take a four-plane formation, and follow me forward, the target: Dobrus, southeast of Gomel." Repeat, with a four-plane formation......"

Twenty bombers, piloted by female pilots, split into five formations in the air and flew in a neat formation in the direction of Gomel at the order of Roslava.

The planes of the women's flight regiment were equipped with radio communications, and after all the planes had been lifted into the air, Roskova gave the order to the female pilots through the intercom: "All of them, follow my orders, take a four-plane formation, and follow me forward, the target: Dobrus, southeast of Gomel." Repeat, with a four-plane formation......"

Twenty bombers, piloted by female pilots, split into five formations in the air and flew in a neat formation in the direction of Gomel at the order of Roslava.